Knollwood Fire Department looks to outsource services

The board governing the Knollwood Fire Department has requested proposals from both Lake Forest and Libertyville to take over firefighting and ambulance services.

The city of Lake Forest plans to assemble a proposal over the next 90 days and will then submit it to the Rockland Fire Protection District Board, which oversees Knollwood Fire Department, by the end of 2017.

The city does have a few guidelines for its proposal. They stipulate that supplying services to Knollwood can't reduce service to Lake Forest, the deal must generate long-term savings and it must integrate full-time, paid-on-call and volunteer firefighters.

At an Aug. 8 meeting, Mayor Terry Weppler of Libertyville said a meeting of the town's police and fire committee would be scheduled to consider whether to submit a proposal.

The Rockland Fire Protection District covers the unincorporated Knollwood neighborhood as well as a portion of Lake Bluff.

Dan Rogers, one of three trustees on the Rockland Fire Protection District Board, said the request for proposals is an effort to be fiscally responsible.

"Our (property tax) levy is about $635,000 for 7/8 of a square mile for fire and ambulance service," Rogers said. "Several months ago we got proposals from Libertyville. They came back with a preliminary offer to take over all services for $380,000."

Karl Snoblin, also a trustee for the fire protection district, sees things differently.

"There is no immediate threat," Snoblin said, adding that the district has had a balanced budget for the last three years. "We have to work with our neighbors but to get rid of equipment and employees doesn't seem to be necessary."

In April, Knollwood voters approved a referendum that would allow them to elect trustees to the district's board. That referendum takes effect in 2019. Currently, trustees are appointed by the Lake County Board.

Snoblin would like to hold off on any decisions on outsourcing fire and ambulance services.

"I believe it is inappropriate for this board to pursue outsourcing the department," Snoblin said. "This is a caretaker board. There is nothing driving us to do this in the 22 months. It should be for the elected board to pursue."

David Brown, a Lake Bluff resident whose home is in the district's coverage area, agrees.

"When we go to vote for trustees, the community will have more faith (in the board) because it will be democratically elected," Brown said.

In response to Rogers statements about potentially saving money, Brown said an initial proposal by another municipality could be at a "teaser rate" and the cost could go way up when it's time to renew a contract. He also argues that the cultural identity of unincorporated Knollwood is tied up with the fire department.

Lake Forest City Manager Bob Kiely expressed a similar opinion about cultural identity during an Aug. 7 city council meeting. He pointed out that Knollwood is unincorporated and all services besides fire – including law enforcement and public works – are supplied by Lake County.

"I imagine there will be pushback," Kiely said. "Knollwood exists around the Rockland Fire Protection District. I believe there will be a lot of emotion around that."

While Rogers said the process is only in the research stage of it, Ed Whitehead is concerned that if the present board approves outsourcing fire and ambulance service, that decision would be irrevocable. Whitehead served on the fire protection board from 2010 to 2016.

"Our building gets sold, all our equipment gets sold," Whitehead said. "We don't have a fallback position at that point."